For a long time Google AdWords Keyword Planner has acted as the Holy Bible of Digital Marketing. It was considered the ultimate tool to find new and related keywords to direct maximum traffic to a site. However, Google came up with a ‘not set’ concept of late where the keywords from where major traffic came (on a website) got hidden.

Recently, Moz launched Keyword Explorer, a new tool for keyword research. Offering an in-depth data on individual keywords, Keyword Explorer makes it easier to understand the current and potential keyword list.

How does this affect the world of digital marketing and SEO? Here are a few pros and cons of each tool,

GOOGLE ADWORDS KEYWORD PLANNER: THE PROS

Hyper-local search volume: The old Keyword Tool required one to use long-tail local keywords (such as “PPC Management Minneapolis”) or estimate local traffic based on national numbers. The new Keyword Planner let’s one narrow it down to geographic regions as specific as individual zip codes. This makes the Keyword Planner a valuable resource for a PPC expert or local, service-based businesses serving a specific area.

Free Service: Though some of the services offered by Google, such as Google Apps for Business, are switching to a paid model, Google AdWords Planner still offers one to access information from source without bearing any cost. It is also a great free resource for all small agencies providing PPC management services.

GOOGLE ADWORDS KEYWORD PLANNER: THE CONS

Average Monthly Search Volume: The “Average Monthly Search Volume”, a popular feature on the Planner, is not just an average-it’s rounded to the nearest-volume-bucket.

According to Moz, “When a keyword returns a traffic volume of 201,000, it isn’t because the keyword was actually visited that many times, or really that it was particularly close to the number 201,000, but just that it was closer to 201,000 than the next biggest bucket of 246,000.”

Inconsistencies: Irrespective of whether the searches are redirected to a different phrase, the Keyword Planner gives back the search counts for particular keywords. If it was consistent it would work fine, but with certain punctuation in terms one the word can be observed being treated completely different.

Strange Recommendations: Since To build their recommended keywords, Google Adwords Keyword uses much more than phrase matching. This may lead one to come across a few strange entries in their recommended keyword list or discern connections that a computer might make but a human being would never draw.

MOZ KEYWORD EXPLORER: THE PROS

Monthly Search Volume: Moz in the launch of KE announced that the monthly search volume is 95% accurate. Unlike Google AdWords Keyword Planner, KE provides a ‘range’ rather than a ‘set number’. This helps to account for any kind of fluctuation in data. This is arms the users with a better idea of where the keyword will fall on any given day, irrespective of whether trends are influencing search volumes.